Verily I Searched
by Random Guise
Summary: This one-shot is a followup to the 1987 version of the movie "Overboard". Of COURSE Annie and Dean lived happily ever after; that's the kind of ending it was, right? But they're going to need some help to run the household. I don't own these characters, or a yacht.


**A/N: Based on the movie "Overboard" (1987), taking place about six months after the end of the movie.**

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Verily I Seached

"I don't see why you insist on starting over; with all my money we could just buy a big house somewhere" Annie Proffitt nee Joanna Stayton said as she held the projecting end of the wood plank.

"Sure we could; a house is just a house, right? You could search forever and not find another like this one; this is the house we got married in" Dean Proffitt explained as he steadied the saw he was using. "I mean when we really got married that is, not the one I pretended happened thirteen years ago." He flicked the switch on his circular saw and crosscut the plank on the marked line.

Six months previously, Annie had arrived in Elk Cove on a yacht with her then-husband Grant Stayton III and her then name of Joanna, having to reluctantly stay due to some engine issues with their craft. While docked, she had Dean remodel her walk-in closet and then refused to pay him when she changed the work order _after_ he had completed. When he told her off, she had pushed him and his tools over the railing into the bay and cast off. Later that night she fell overboard while out to sea just off the coast, and was picked up with amnesia by the crew of a fishing scow. Her husband used the opportunity to live it up without his nagging, shrewish wife when he claimed he didn't know her after visiting her in the hospital.

Dean took advantage of the amnesia to fool her into thinking she was his wife Annie, and brought her back to his ramshackle house with four motherless young boys in order to exact some revenge for refusing to pay him. In the process they fell in love and when Grant returned to reclaim her, she returned to her former life and found quickly that it was unsatisfying. Abandoning Grant, she returned to Dean and with her fortune began to improve their lives.

"But we could have bought another house just to live in while they razed this one and started over" she said as she grabbed the end of another board.

"Yeah, but I'm trying to do as much of the work as I can and I can still supervise more if I'm on the grounds. There's some parts of this house I do _not_ want to get rid of." He put the finished board on a pile to be nailed down later. "But that's enough for now; I think it's time for lunch."

"Let me go get it." Annie stepped over a few boards, walked around a pair of sawhorses and kicked a box of nails before making her way into the kitchen. It was best described as an indoor/outdoor kitchen at the moment, as the expansion of the house hadn't finished extending the room's boundaries and plastic sheeting covered the exposed area that would become a breakfast nook. Andrew, who had been her butler and attendant on her yacht, was already in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on a pile of sandwiches.

"I have provided a variety of items for lunch" he proudly proclaimed, picking up the platter. "I'm sure you and your family will find something that is pleasing to the palate."

"Andrew, I'm sure we will. As always, you have outdone yourself."

"That's very kind madam."

"I told you it wouldn't hurt to call me Annie; even Mrs. Proffitt would do."

"I've tried madam, but I can't bring myself to do it. Please don't require it of me" Andrew asked.

"Of course not. Maybe the old me would have, but I respect your professionalism. What's this one?" She pointed to a single sandwich with a small toothpick topped with a Union Jack on it.

"That's mine, madam. I've discovered a wonderful condiment called 'horseradish' and that one is roast beef with said condiment. Although Oregon does seem to have a limited variety of cheeses, this cheddar is a particularly good compliment and a delightful result of my searches."

"Horseradish? Andrew, we're corrupting you."

"Yes you are, thank you madam" he said with a grin before taking the sandwiches into the main room and depositing them on a makeshift table, retrieving his own. He disappeared again, and seconds later a loud cowbell could be heard ringing.

Lunch.

A group of four hungry boys impersonating a battalion descended on the platter, as Annie and Dean barely managed to removed their arms with their choices before the contents were snatched away. The two dogs, Buster and Jackson, stood waiting to one side hoping that something would be dropped but were disappointed when nothing made it to the floor. Happily for them, Andrew reappeared with a small plate bearing two dog biscuits which he carried in front of him as he stood in front of the animals. Both animals immediately sat and waited until his name was called, when he would stand and gingerly take the treat that was offered. They held the biscuits in their mouth until Andrew bid them to go, and they happily trotted out to enjoy their goodies.

Dean watched, slack-jawed.

"It's simply a matter of training" Andrew smiled before taking the empty platter and returning to the kitchen.

"Maybe we should turn him loose on the kids" Dean muttered. Andrew had thought the same thing, but didn't want to overstep his boundaries and had just waited patiently for an invitation.

The couple sat on a couch after beating some sawdust off of it, and between mouthfuls Dean tried to describe some of his ideas to add to the house. Some Annie could imagine, and for others she just had to trust him; despite first appearances he _was_ a great carpenter, she had to admit. Andrew brought out three cold bottles of beer, and together they relaxed for the moment. Yelling and screaming in the distance indicated that the boys had finished their lunch and had resumed playtime. Andrew finished off his bottle and retrieved the empties from the others, and took them into the kitchen.

Dean picked up his saw to resume work and noticed a reflective flash as a car drove up to the house. He waited and a man emerged from the vehicle, carrying a clipboard. He wasn't dressed formally, but he wasn't dressed like he worked the docks either. The man looked about and guessed where the front door would be if there was one, and strode up to knock on the frame.

"Come on in," Dean invited "mind the tools."

"Thank you. I'm Alan Parsons, a licensed private investigator."

"About those parking tickets..." Dean started.

"I don't know anything about parking tickets; I don't even know your name. I'm looking for a missing person and I'm covering the area asking people is all. Here's her picture." Alan handed over a large glossy picture of a woman in expensive jewelry, heavy makeup and hair that took hours to achieve.

Dean took a second look at the photo and started laughing. Annie tried to ask him what was the matter but he couldn't get the words out, instead just handing her the photo. All it took was one look before she started to giggle, but at least she managed to get out "This is me!"

Alan took another copy of the photo and looked back and forth between it and Joanna, before finally deciding it was the truth. "I've found you at last!"

Andrew entered the room with a question about dinner, and abruptly stopped when he saw the visitor. The P.I. looked over and saw Andrew, asking "Mr. Hobson?"

"Oh dear, this is embarrassing" Andrew said, aghast.

"Andrew?" Annie asked.

"I'm sorry madam, I seem to have committed a grievous error."

"I don't know about any error, but this is the woman you hired me to find, isn't it?" Alan asked. "Looks like you knew where she was all along."

"Andrew," Dean asked "why would you hire someone to find a person who was already found?"

"Sir, my apologies. She wasn't found when I hired Mr. Parsons."

"Andrew, explain please" Annie urged.

"Please madam, it was my blunder."

"That doesn't explain how."

"No, it doesn't. Very well, allow me to explain; when you fell overboard that night and Master Stayton returned after failing to ID you, I took it upon myself to hire someone to look for you."

"You?"

"Of course madam. Admittedly, you may not have treated your staff very well but you were still my employer and it was my duty to do the best I could. So I employed someone to look for you while Master Stayton continued with his...er...lifestyle" Andrew sheepishly confessed.

"How much did it cost you?"

"I'd rather not say; I would have paid more had I been able to do so."

"_Andrew?_" Annie emphasized, putting the pressure on.

"Um...my life savings, madam. I won't divulge the amount."

"You mean $767 was your life savings?" Alan asked, doubtfully.

"Ahem. Madam and Master Stayton paid their staff on the somewhat low end of the spectrum" Andrew said as he blushed. "But not now, I assure you!" he corrected.

"Andrew, I'm touched" Annie said, tearing slightly. "Now I feel worse all over again for having treated you like I did."

"Joanna, you treated everyone that way, remember?" Dean piled on. She hit him gently in the arm to let him know she remembered.

"Madam, please don't cry; everything came out fine, didn't it? No time for remorse; I think we're all happier now if I might say so."

"So am I off the case now?" Alan asked.

"Sir, you have performed exemplary work and only extraordinary circumstance has prevented you from solving it first" Andrew addressed Alan. "I shall recommend your services to any that enquire. I only regret that I forgot to contact you that the person had been found; despite the rapidity of events I should have informed you before you exerted yourself more than was necessary."

"In fact..." Annie's voice faded as she disappeared before reappearing again "...I think a bonus is merited." She scribbled out a check and handed it to the P.I., who raised his eyebrows, whistled, and put it carefully in his pocket. "Case closed! Lady and gentlemen, I bid you a good day." He turned and stepped over a few electrical cords before exiting and walking to his car with what almost could be described as a skip in his step.

"Madam, how much did you pay him?" Andrew asked, as close as he could manage to scolding his employer.

"Andrew, _that_ is a business arrangement between Mr. Parsons and myself - just like the raise I'm giving you is no concern of his."

"If you insist, madam" Andrew said with a smile and a slight bow.

The End

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**A/N: I never saw the remake, but the original was likable and I really enjoyed Roddy McDowell's small part. This gives his character a moment in the spotlight.**


End file.
